Family run business: DeVoll Rubber Mfg Group Inc.

Founder: Millard F. DeVoll.

Number of employees: 22.

Key family members active in the company: John DeVoll (Millard's son), president; Stacy DeVoll (John's daughter), general manager; Amanda DeVoll (John's daughter), office manager; Jim DeVoll (Millard's son), tool design.

What it does: DeVoll Rubber manufactures custom rubber products, specializing in lathe-cut gaskets and profile extrusions, which are all in industrial applications.

Markets served: Industrial, automotive, aerospace and electronic.

Number of generations involved in the business: Three.

Strengths of a family owned business: Strengths include control of time flexibility, allows time for personal activities such as family and education; control of financial planning; and control of products and services offered to customers.

What are the challenges of a family owned business?

How are they resolved? With multiple family members running a single company there are multiple plans and ideas that can cause conflict, but with patience and having open minds to new ideas, there's nothing a bottle of wine can't fix.

Do non-family members hold any executive or ownership roles? No.

How much does the younger generation of family members influence decisions? The younger generation is a great influence and is actively involved in planning and financial discussions.

Something you might not know about the company: We started as a service, a fabricator for other rubber companies in Southern California originally called DeVoll's Assembly, which was later changed when people thought it was a church organization.

What advice would you offer a young entrepreneur who wants to start a family run business? Have a plan on direction for the company and a lot of patience.

And another thing: Working in a family business can be extremely challenging with all the personalities, but in the end, family is family, and to accomplish success together is the best reward.